


A Gift for a King

by Madoka_of_Hoshido



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Birthday, Brotherhood, Growing Up, Midlife Crisis, Multi, Revelation Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:53:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27311461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madoka_of_Hoshido/pseuds/Madoka_of_Hoshido
Summary: Two years passed since the war ended.It's said that after a war things will never be as they once were.But Saizo never thought that this would beso truefor him.Now his brother Kaze is gone, just like that!Not because he fell in the line of duty, no.The reason is much more bizarre than Saizo could ever have imagined.(Update 21-02-27: I am still working on it! Don't worry, it will be finished. It's just... well, real life wasn't so nice in the past months. But I keep going, I promise!)
Relationships: Elise/Takumi (Fire Emblem), My Unit | Kamui | Corrin/Suzukaze | Kaze, Saizo/Suzukaze | Kaze, mentioned Hinata/Pieri | Peri
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	A Gift for a King

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go! ; )  
> Now here it is, the (late) Birthday Gift I've planned for my beloved twins  
> I'm sorry for not finishing it in time : (
> 
> But now here's the first part of three for you
> 
> Hope you like it : )

Dawn painted the morning sky in a colorful artwork; violet and red waves mixed with the blue of the receding night, bathed in the light of the rising sun.

The wind picked up slightly and gently swayed the trees, and many an orange colored leaf was picked by the soft breeze and sank silently down. A little brook caught it and carried it away in its slow flow.

And past Saizo's gaze.

The retainer of the king of Hoshido watched the leaf carefully until the brook completely took it out of his sight; so Saizo's attention turned to the sky again.

It's so weird. Since the war has ended he spent most of his free time just looking into the airspace above him. Something he had never done before. He, the great Saizo the Fifth, would never have wasted his precious time so senselessly.

But that was before Kaze left.

Now Saizo sat here, day after day, always at the same spot, looking up to the sky; wondering how Kaze was doing.

The end of the war was now two years ago, as was the coronation of Lady Kamui as Queen of Valla; and that in turn meant the coronation of her husband as king.

And said husband was none other than Kaze.

Kaze? A _king_? Ridiculous! Kaze was his baby brother! Yesterday he was still the little crybaby who always crawled to him under his blanket when he was afraid.

The little boy who was always running behind him, always calling, “ _Nii-san~ Niiiiiiiiii-saaaaaaaan~_ ” all over again. When he had found a bug. When he was determined to show him a training success. When he wanted to play.

Oh, how much Kaze had clung to him when they were children.

Gods, where did his little Kaze, who always adored him with big eyes, disappear to? The little, shy boy that Saizo had around him all his life even _before_ they're born.

“There you are.”

Saizo spun around, looking in his fellow retainers face. Kagero returned his gaze with irritation.

“I caught you off guard?” she asked surprised. “You've become negligent.”

“Nonsense!” he snapped. “I'm in best shape! I'm just going through every scenario to be able to protect His Majesty in worst case!”

Saizo immediately turned away from her, his cheeks gloved. How could he not notice her? Was he really _that_ lost in thoughts?

“If you say so.” Kagero rolled her eyes. “When you're done, come with me. His Majesty is calling for a meeting about his forthcoming journey to Valla. And he insists on your presence.” With this Kagero just turned around and left.

Saizo grunted. A journey to Valla. It was immediately clear which direction this conversation would take for him.

Before he returned to Castle Shirasagi he looked up to the sky one last time.

Kaze a _king_. Where did the little boy from yesterday go?

****

It was foolish to think that he would get off lightly. Nevertheless, he believed it. He had even made up his mind about an escape route; just as he had always somehow managed it to do in the past two years.

But his liege was no idiot. Of course not, he was his king. But above all he was tired of this ridiculous game Saizo was playing.

So Ryoma announced at the meeting that this time Saizo would accompany him on his journey to Valla. What a perfidious move! So Saizo could not possibly pull himself out of the predicament.

Either he would have to contest the decision of his liege in private, and thus fell directly into Ryoma's trap. Or he had to refuse the order.

Unacceptable! He would never even think of anything such dishonorable! He's a Saizo. And a Saizo never ran away from his duty. His lieges wish was Saizo's command, without complain or hesitation, no matter how difficult it might be for him.

And Ryoma _knew_ that!

When the meeting ended and the room gradually emptied, Saizo remained seated. Ryoma also remained, a broad grin spread over his face.

“What is it, Saizo?” he laughed. “Have you come up with another perfect excuse to avoid accompanying me to Valla again?”

The ninja grumbled. He often forgot how spiteful his liege could be.

The king rose from his seat, a finger thoughtfully on his lips, and strolled aimlessly through the hall.

“ _Hmmmmm_... Let's see. What could it be this time...? Maybe an indispensable mission? A possible enemy, which must be scouted absolutely? Or an emergency in your village? Oh! How about some new recruits you need to train? Or maybe something completely new!”

Ryoma spun around, clapping his hands together.

“Now I know! You're feeling not well and you are too afraid to get seriously sick and infect me or others!”

Thank the gods Saizo wore his mask so Ryoma couldn't see his teeth grinding. There were moments the ninja had to remind himself that this man in front of him was his liege and king, to keep his temper from getting him to do something that he would never have forgiven himself.

And by the gods, _this_ was one of them.

The ninja shook his head. “N-no. It's nothing like that.”

“Then there is no reason why you shouldn't accompany me.”

_And the trap snaps shut._

Saizo could always give Kagero some silly excuse and disappear immediately; he could easily ignore her subsequent incessant scolding.

But this wasn't Kagero. He's sitting in front of Lord Ryoma, his liege and king of Hoshido. He couldn't just run away like that!

“I... I'm sorry,” Saizo began, trying to find the right words. “I can't. Because...” Gods, he stammered like a child who was caught stealing cookies from it's mom. “I can't join you, as much as I want to, because– ”

“Oh please!” Ryoma interrupted with an unfamiliar harsh tone. “Quit your stupid excuses, Saizo! I've been watching this pathetic show of yours for two years now, but now my patience is wearing thin!”

At first, Saizo was shocked, surprised by the sudden severity of his otherwise so calm liege. But then he smiled.

_Guess I finally overstepped the mark, huh?_

“Saizo,” Ryoma stood before him. The retainer looked up to his liege; the gaze of his king was vexed. “You will tell me right now the reason for your childish behavior. Otherwise...”

Then the king's look changed; a diabolic grin spread over his face.

“I will turn to Hinata's sweetheart and tell her how much you love sweets. And believe me, my friend, she makes _delicious_ sweets. She also loves to treat others with her sweet backed goods.”

The ninja's blood run cold. Peri! That nohrian woman, once one of the two retainers of King Xander, but now the lover of Hinata and samurai in training. Not only she was known for her lust to murder, but her cooking skills were unprecedented.

Even today, Saizo remembered all too well how she gave her self made candies to everyone in the camp; whether nohrian or hoshidian, she didn't care, as long as she made others smile. And everywhere she spread this horrible sweet stench!

“Peri would gladly make you the sweetest sweets in this world,” Ryoma continued. “How about it, Saizo? Delicious, _nohrian_ sweets. Surely you won't mind if I join you in this pleasure and make sure that you really enjoy _all of them_.”

_Heisyourkingheisyourkingheisyourkingheisyourkingheisyourking!_

The samurai fell back in laughter, “What I would give for to see your unmasked face now!” Then a hand was placed on Saizo's shoulder.

“What's wrong, Saizo?” Ryoma asked, all mockery and anger just gone, and all that remained was a worried face. “I'm worried about you. It seems, since the war has ended you're no longer yourself. What is bothering you, my friend?”

Saizo sometimes really hated Ryoma. That stubborn king was far to kind for his own good. How many times Saizo asked him not to worry about him. His silly master would never change, would he?

_But honestly... it doesn't feel that bad._

“Saizo?”

The ninja looked up to his liege, who's still waiting for an answer. He sighed.

_I owe him a honest answer._

“I... I cannot go to Valla,” Saizo finally confessed. “Because... I don't want to. I... can't face it. Neither now, nor do I think that I will ever be able to do so.”

Immediately the ninja bowed deep, the forehead painfully pressed on the tatami. “I know this is a pitiful excuse for neglecting your protection and letting you travel alone to Valla all this time; and I also know that this pathetic behavior is dishonorable and cowardly, especially for a retainer of the king, and a Saizo.”

He paused briefly, took a deep breath before continuing. “If anything had ever happen to you... and I would not have been there to protect you... The mere fact that I truly allowed this possibility is an unforgivable sin. I am aware that only death is an appropriate punishment, and I submit your judgment without contradiction.”

“Saizo,” Ryoma said instantly, immediately Saizo's last word was spoken. The ninja fell silent, waiting for his sentence.

Then the Samurai opened his mouth. “Is it really Valla you cannot face? Or is it your brother?”

Saizo looked up. _That_ was unexpected. And Saizo didn't know what was bothering him more; that Lord Ryoma seriously saw no need to punish him, or that the king had to change the subject of this conversation on Kaze of all people. (He suppressed the fact that his liege could apparently read him like a book.)

“Saizo, he's asking for you,” Ryoma continued after Saizo didn't reply. “Every time I visit Kamui and him he asks me how you are. And he is worried about you. Do you have any idea how his smile fades every time I tell him that you didn't escort me to Valla?”

“Doesn't this idiot have a whole kingdom to worry about?”

“Saizo!”

Saizo snapped. Had he really thought that out loud? Gods, Kagero was right; he'd _really_ become negligent. Immediately he pushed his forehead back to the ground.

“My sincere apologies, my lord!” he said in panic. “I lost my temper. To speak such outrageous words about a member of your family, the husband of your sister, the _king of Valla_ , is unforgivable!”

“Enough, Saizo!” Ryoma interrupted, his voice powerful and intimidating. “I have no idea what happened that the mere thought of your own brother upsets you so much – and to be honest, I don't _care_ – but I will not idly tolerate Kaze's disappointed face any longer, who desires nothing more than to see his twin again, and in addition make _me_ a mockery because of the cowardice of my own retainer!”

Shocked, Saizo looked up into the face of his liege, the disappointment and anger was clearly written on the samurai's face.

Yes, he was shocked. Shocked that Ryoma was so angry. Shocked that he, Saizo the Fifth, was the reason. But more than everything else, he was shocked at how pathetic and shameful he had behaved in the past. The ninja looked away in repentantly.

“You will come with me, Saizo,” Ryoma commanded.

“Yes, my lord.”

“And you will not hide in the shadows. You will stand by my side right before King Kaze and Queen Kamui, who are both my family _and_ yours.”

“As you wish.”

“By the way,” Ryoma added with a grin. “don't forget to get your brother a gift. After all, it's his birthday. And yours as well.”

Oh, fantastic! A royal birthday; which means loud festivals, countless people and all attention lies on the birthday boy. And said birthday boy was Kaze... _and him!_

Gods, they're ninja, and ninja weren't supposed to be in the center of attention! They also weren't supposed to have big birthday parties!

_Or to marry a princess, the_ own liege _, and end up becoming a fucking king!_

“I will not fail,” Saizo replied meekly.

“Good! I'm sure you'll find something appropriate.” With this, Ryoma turned his back on Saizo and just left. “I can't wait to see Kaze's happy face! This is my birthday gift for him.”

_Fuck! That's what_ I _wanted to say!_

Saizo preferred to keep this thought to himself. Instead he just said, “Yes, my lord.”

Then he left the castle, went to the training ground, grabbed the next best wooden sword and used the rest of his day to bash up some dummies, new recruits and finally Master Fuga, who was visiting the hoshidian royal family.

The latter was a mistake.

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo here we are.  
> Looks like Saizo's in big trouble now.  
> What will he do?  
> Can he find a suitable gift?  
> Or will he not be able to face his twin and run away again?
> 
> The next chapter will give you answers ;)
> 
> Feel free to comment and leave a kudos if you liked that stuff
> 
> HAPPY HALLOWEEN


End file.
